Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

Xue Rui teased Lin Ruoxi for a while until the little girl was about to cry, then he stopped.

Xue Rui felt that sometimes he couldn't entirely blame himself. Lin Ruoxi would always ask a difficult question out of the blue, but Lin Ruoxi herself was so easy to bully. He only needed to ask a few questions back to make Lin Ruoxi burst into tears.

Well, Lin Ruoxi is the type who's bad at games but loves to have fun.

At noon, Xue Rui helped Lin Ruoxi make a large table of dumplings, but Xue Rui's cooking skills were as bad as ever.

When they were cooked, a few dumplings fell apart, leaving only bare dumpling wrappers.

Big Yellow was under the table, wagging its tail happily, hoping something would be thrown down from the table soon.

"There are lanterns at night, I'll take you out to play." Xue Rui poked Lin Ruoxi's nose.

"Ah."

Lin Ruoxi's eyes were a little red, but she was smiling happily.

"Hmm, if we live separately, where will you live?" Lin Ruoxi blinked, expecting Xue Rui to give her an answer.

"Xi Xi, eat." Xue Rui picked up his chopsticks and used a dumpling to shut Lin Ruoxi's mouth.

Lin Ruoxi had so many questions that they inexplicably reminded him of the child he encountered on the high-speed train.

"If I behave better, could you... could you come for a few more days?" Lin Ruoxi said, her words slurred.

Xue Rui took a deep breath and tapped Lin Ruoxi's forehead.

Gu Muxue had only been gone a few minutes when Lin Ruoxi asked him this kind of question.

"If you perform poorly, does that mean I shouldn't come?"

Xue Rui did not give a direct answer, but instead gave a negative example.

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head guiltily, thinking to herself that she wouldn't do a bad job.

Xue Rui roughly guessed Lin Ruoxi's thoughts, and he also noticed the changes in Lin Ruoxi, who seemed to be secretly competing with Gu Muxue behind the scenes.

Ultimately, it's because Lin Ruoxi lacks a sense of security.

"Xixi, don't think too much. I swear, I won't leave you." Xue Rui held up three fingers.

Lin Ruoxi quickly covered Xue Rui's mouth and said softly, "I know you're the best, don't say those unlucky things."

After dinner, Xue Rui, having nothing to do, went into the music room and lightly tapped the keys a few times, producing a discordant tone.

"Xixi, can you play?" Xue Rui asked with a smile.

Lin Ruoxi shook her head and lowered her head in disappointment: "I...I'm tone-deaf."

"We're both equally bad. If Mu Xue doesn't come anymore, this music room will just be for show," Xue Rui joked.

Suddenly, Lin Ruoxi grabbed his arm: "No, it won't happen."

Xue Rui smiled slightly. He was just saying it casually, and Gu Muxue would come back once things calmed down.

"It can be used by children in the future." Lin Ruoxi gently stroked the piano, her movements very soft.

Xue Rui's smile froze on his face. He realized he had been overthinking things. In the little girl's future, there would always be a child.

……

As dusk settled and the city lights began to twinkle, the full moon of the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar was very large and round.

When Chang'an reached its most bustling time, Xue Rui planned to take Lin Ruoxi out for a stroll and to try some snacks.

Lin Ruoxi squatted down at Xue Rui's feet, straightening his shoelaces and trouser legs.

Xue Rui, taking a break from his busy schedule, checked Gu Muxue's messages on his phone. The screen showed many photos of Gu Muxue and Lao Gu together.

In the picture, Gu Muxue is carrying a very beautiful rabbit lantern.

Even Old Gu had a pair of glowing rabbit ears on his head.

Gu Muxue: [Xiao Rui, isn't he cute?]

Xue Rui: [So cute, take more pictures.]

Gu Muxue: [Go buy it yourself if you like.]

"What are you looking at?" Lin Ruoxi tiptoed and wrapped the scarf around Xue Rui's neck again and again.

Xue Rui subconsciously turned off the screen: "Let's go, I'll go out and buy you a rabbit lamp."

"Really?" Lin Ruoxi's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly pulled Xue Rui towards the door.

While waiting for the elevator, Lin Ruoxi swayed her arm with Xue Rui's, looking at their reflections in the elevator, anticipating today's itinerary.

Suddenly, a little girl's sweet, childlike voice rang out from behind:
"Brother and sister, where are you going to play?"

The little girl's door was wide open, and the sound of a bear appearing was playing from inside.

"Yuanyuan, where's your mother?" Xue Rui asked instinctively.

"She went to work the night shift and told me to watch cartoons at home."

Yuanyuan was in low spirits, but when she looked up at Xue Rui, her eyes revealed a hint of expectation.

Xue Rui understood the little girl's eyes; she was waiting for him to take her out to play.

"Did your mother tell you not to go out at night?" Xue Rui asked back.

The little girl was pitiful, but she wasn't his biological daughter, so he didn't want to take on that responsibility.

With so many people around on the night of the fifteenth, if something happens to the child, he will be held responsible.

To put it bluntly, taking a little girl out to play is risky for him, and there are no benefits whatsoever.

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head, not daring to meet the little girl's gaze.

She was like that when she was little, watching other families go out to play happily, while she could only squat at the door with envious eyes.

But Xue Rui didn't want to bring a little girl; she didn't want to spoil Xue Rui's mood.

Moreover, she also had a little bit of selfish motive.

But for some reason, I just feel really sad...

Lin Ruoxi stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor.

As the elevator doors closed, the sound of the cartoon disappeared, and the atmosphere became eerily quiet.

Even though he only had a few seconds to go downstairs, the image of the little girl's forlorn expression kept flashing through Xue Rui's mind.

The girl next door was very sensible and didn't pester him to go out and play, but it was precisely because she was too sensible that he felt a lingering sense of guilt.

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip tightly, as if she had also become sullen because of this matter.

"Ding ~"

The elevator doors opened, but neither of them took the first step out.

"Rui, let's go."

Lin Ruoxi stepped out of the elevator first, pulling Xue Rui's arm as they walked out.

As Xue Rui watched Lin Ruoxi's retreating figure, he couldn't help but think of Lin Ruoxi's childhood.

Lin Ruoxi is very compassionate, but at the same time she is also very stingy and selfish.

Xue Rui didn't know what Lin Ruoxi was thinking, but he was certain that if he didn't take the little girl out to play today, this matter would become a minor knot in Lin Ruoxi's heart.

Xue Rui sighed inwardly, pulled Lin Ruoxi back, and pressed the floor button again:
"Sigh~ My biggest flaw is that I'm too soft-hearted."

Lin Ruoxi's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Xue Rui.

Xue Rui meant to take Yuanyuan along to play.

"Mua~" Lin Ruoxi hugged Xue Rui, took a deep sniff, and said softly, "I knew it, you are the kindest."

"We must keep a close eye on her and make sure she's not stolen by human traffickers, or we'll both be criminals," Xue Rui instructed.

Lin Ruoxi suddenly remembered something and turned to open her own bedroom door:
"Rui, go and call Yuanyuan, I'm going to get something from home."

A few minutes later, the three of them came downstairs. Xue Rui was holding a taut dog leash in one hand and a cell phone in the other, calling Yuan Yuan's mother.

After all, you should inform the parents in advance if you're taking someone else's child out.

"Get out of here, I want to see the lanterns!" The little girl strained with all her might, but still couldn't break free from the ropes.

"Xi Xi, you're simply...you're a genius," Xue Rui said, suppressing a laugh.

These days, there aren't any anti-loss chains, yet Lin Ruoxi actually came up with a brilliant idea.

Take out the leash for walking Big Yellow and tie the other end around Yuanyuan's waist.

As for its function, it's quite simple. First, it prevents children from running around.

Secondly, it also falls under the category of "deterrent weapons".

If a child trafficker sees this thing tied around a child's waist, they immediately know the child isn't a suitable target.

To put it bluntly, it's a case of sacrificing a fellow Daoist to save oneself.

As long as it's harder to get a deal than other companies, that's fine.

"Let's go."

Xue Rui moved his feet, and Yuan Yuan lost her balance and crashed headfirst to the ground.

"Holy crap!" Xue Rui hurriedly tightened the rope, thus averting a tragedy.

Coming to his senses, Xue Rui's forehead was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

"Taking care of children is truly a skill," Xue Rui remarked.

"I'll hold your hand," Lin Ruoxi said softly.

"No need, I'm strong..." Xue Rui was about to say that he was strong, but then he thought of the image of Lin Ruoxi breaking an apple, and he wasn't very confident.

“I’m a man, human traffickers will avoid me,” Xue Rui chuckled.

……

Driving to the vicinity of Furong Garden, before even entering the garden, Xue Rui could see countless heads of people densely packed in the distance.

Because universities haven't started yet, there are relatively few young couples. Most pedestrians on the street are in groups of three, with parents taking their children out to play.

A big hand holding a little hand looks especially heartwarming.

On the other hand, Xue Rui's situation was a bit off.

"There are so many people, stay close." Xue Rui tugged at the leash, feeling like he was walking a dog.

"Mmm!" Yuanyuan nodded obediently.

Suddenly, several patrolling police officers slowly walked up.

"Hello, is this child yours?" a policeman asked in an unfriendly tone.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes widened in disbelief; Xue Rui seemed to have been mistaken for a human trafficker.

“He…he’s a good person, not a human trafficker,” Lin Ruoxi hurriedly explained.

Xue Rui keenly noticed that one of the police officers secretly reached his hand behind his back.

"Xi Xi, isn't this just like trying to hide something obvious?" Xue Rui said, speechless.

Xue Rui took out his ID card and mobile phone and slowly explained, "Officer, this is my neighbor's child. My girlfriend and I brought her out to play. You can confirm with her family."

“Yes, brother is a good person,” the little girl exclaimed in a clear voice.

"Mmm." Xue Rui rubbed the little girl's head.

The police officer glanced at the ID card briefly and returned it, his eyes fixed on the dog leash in Xue Rui's hand, thinking to himself that young people taking care of children is really unreliable.

"Let's go, let's go." The policeman waved his red and blue baton, signaling the three to leave.

"I think the little girl doesn't look like she was abducted, but the older one does," one person joked.

"Hahaha."

He had only taken a few steps when he heard joking voices behind him, and he sighed helplessly.

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head nervously, feeling that she was still not up to par. Every time she encountered someone in a police uniform, she would stammer and fail to explain herself clearly.

Xue Rui pinched Lin Ruoxi's cheek: "Did you hear that? They said I kidnapped you."

Lin Ruoxi pouted and thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm willing to let you kidnap me."

Xue Rui smiled with satisfaction, thinking that the little girl had made progress and was now joking with him.

"Minions!"

Suddenly, the little girl shouted and grabbed Xue Rui, running into the crowd.

However, when she got closer, the dense crowd blocked her view, and the little girl couldn't see anything.

She looked up and saw that other children were sitting on their parents' shoulders.

After much deliberation, she turned around and looked at Xue Rui with a pitiful expression.

However, Xue Rui did not notice her gaze, nor did he know what she was looking around at.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out, and she lowered her head helplessly.

My older siblings have already been very generous in taking me out to play; I shouldn't ask for too much.

Just as the little girl was thinking this, a pair of strong hands suddenly appeared under her arm.

The view suddenly opened up, and the little girl's eyes widened as well, reflecting the three playful and cute Minions.

Looking down, she saw that she was sitting on Lin Ruoxi's shoulders.

"Sister, you're so strong!" the little girl exclaimed.

This statement drew considerable attention.

An older man turned around and saw a little girl sitting on a woman's shoulders, with a rope around her waist connected to another man's hand.

"What's going on here?" the uncle muttered to himself with a strange expression. As he turned around, he glared at Xue Rui with a displeased look.

Xue Rui understood the meaning behind that look: Is your hand broken? Making a woman carry a child.

Yuanyuan sensed that something was wrong, so she whispered in Xue Rui's ear, "Brother, I think it's better if you carry me on your back."

"I think what you said makes sense."

Xue Rui nodded, thinking that if things continued like this, he would soon be cyberbullied.

So, for the rest of the time, Xue Rui lifted Yuanyuan above his head and watched the lanterns for a while.

On the fifteenth of each month, there are always stalls where you can guess riddles.

Xue Rui strolled along slowly, looking around.

Lin Ruoxi followed Xue Rui's gaze and noticed which riddle he lingered on for a long time, so she told him the answer.

A couple was looking at the lantern, seemingly discussing something. Xue Rui looked up and saw them.

The two nestled together, resting beneath the green grass.

Suddenly, Lin Ruoxi whispered a hint in his ear: "The character '芙' in '芙蓉' (Furong), or '苁' (Cong)."

As Lin Ruoxi spoke, she wrote the strokes on Xue Rui's pen.

Xue Rui couldn't help but sigh, Lin Ruoxi was like a walking encyclopedia. No matter what kind of game it was, it was no challenge for Lin Ruoxi. She could even give two answers.

As for the games at the stall, he and Lin Ruoxi will not participate.

Players who use cheats always infuriate the stall owners.

This was a bit of a pity for Xue Rui.

Xue Rui nodded to himself, then asked, "We came out as a group of three today, do we have any characters representing three people?"

"Yes, the character 'Tai' in Mount Tai, and three people stacking like a human pyramid on the water..."

"Hmm, and there's also the character 'spring'..."

Xue Rui, recalling the structure of the character, raised his hand and covered Lin Ruoxi's mouth.

The little girl is a seasoned driver; she'll be on the highway at the drop of a hat.

"Brother, why are you covering sister's mouth?" Yuanyuan asked curiously.

Lin Ruoxi blinked blankly, her eyes full of confusion.

“This isn’t the bus to kindergarten.” Xue Rui smiled and pointed to a stall in the distance: “Xi Xi, go buy some snacks, we’re hungry.”

After Lin Ruoxi left, Xue Rui put Yuanyuan down on the ground, squatted down and whispered, "Yuanyuan, shall we go buy a little rabbit lamp for your sister?"

“Okay, but who is that guy? Is he my sister’s friend?” Yuanyuan asked, pointing to the man next to Lin Ruoxi.

Xue Rui followed the little girl's gaze and thought to himself that the little girl had been hit on again.

"Yuanyuan, go call her 'Mommy,' and I'll buy you a rabbit lantern too." (End of Chapter)